Latest news with #Auckland
Japan Times
an hour ago
- Business
- Japan Times
Club World Cup is both blessing and curse for amateur club Auckland City
Adam Mitchell knows he is going to lose money this month. The Auckland City defender left his job selling houses in New Zealand to take part in the Club World Cup, where the eventual champion will pocket a staggering $125 million — while his amateur team plays for pride and an appearance fee still under negotiation. "My business runs on a commission basis only," Mitchell said Thursday after his side's humbling 10-0 defeat against European giant Bayern Munich at the expanded Club World Cup. "If I'm not back working, there's no income coming in. But a tournament like this, you have to be willing to make sacrifices and that's what a lot of us have done." The Club World Cup's new, lucrative format has attracted criticism for its schedule congestion at the end of a long European season. Mitchell and his teammates — many of whom work as teachers, delivery drivers, and tradesmen — are effectively paying out of their own pockets for the privilege of competing on this stage. It is not just Mitchell's earnings that are taking a hit. New Zealand's labor laws typically grant around four to five weeks of annual leave per year — most of which, for Auckland's players, was already used up during last year's Oceania qualifying tournament. "The players that went to the qualification for this tournament, well, we played in the Solomon Islands," Mitchell explained. "That was three weeks. "Some people have run out of annual leave. People are kind of in negative days and taking unpaid leave. So, it's nice for people to know the sacrifices we make to be here." While the tournament offers prize money tiers based on performance, Auckland City, representing one of soccer's smallest confederations, will receive the lowest payout — a fraction of the $3.58 million meant for Oceania. Even that amount, Mitchell noted, is still subject to ongoing negotiations between the club and New Zealand Football. On the pitch, the gulf between part-time amateurs and global superstars was on brutal display. Bayern Munich, ranked among the world's elite, named a starting lineup packed with internationals, showing no mercy en route to a double-digit victory. "Conceding 10 goals isn't a nice feeling,' Mitchell admitted. "But I think we have to realize the caliber of team and caliber of players we were up against. "The fact that they did put their strongest team out and they didn't take the pedal off the metal at all, they just kept going and going and going, which, it's not great for us, but in a way that's a sign of respect." The heavy defeat has not dampened spirits within the Auckland camp. With two more games to play in their group against Benfica and Boca Juniors, Mitchell said he and his teammates are determined to leave their mark. "If you watched the (Bayern) game, you could see we never give up regardless of the scoreline," he said. Back home, Mitchell juggles the demands of a commission-based real estate job with evening training sessions and coaching duties at the club. His typical day starts early, squeezing in gym sessions before work, and ends late at night after training. "It's not ideal for my wife," he joked. "I don't get to see her that often, but she really respects the fact that this is a sacrifice that we have to make, and she also has to make. "(For her) just seeing myself and the whole team on the stage and obviously against the best players in the world, I think it's a really proud moment." Mitchell admits that while the financial hit stings, the exposure could pay off in other ways. "Maybe if someone was watching on TV and they realized I was in the industry, maybe they just want to have a chat and that's the way you can build some rapport," he said. To the critics who have questioned Auckland City's inclusion in a competition of this scale, Mitchell remains unapologetic. "We don't bother too much about critics," he said. "We've earned the right to be here. People have to realize we are semi-professionals, but we do treat training and we treat our club like a professional club, with the resources we have." "We earned the right to be here and we're proud to be here, and we're going to give it all on the pitch."
News.com.au
2 hours ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘I don't think it's too serious': Panthers provide Nathan Cleary update ahead of rare match in New Zealand
Panthers coach Ivan Cleary doesn't think his son's groin issue is 'too serious', with the champion halfback expected to be fine to take his place in the side for next Thursday's showdown with the Bulldogs. Nathan Cleary battled a groin complaint in Wednesday's second Origin clash, with the NSW No.7 forced to wear a compression sleeve on his right leg. Cleary didn't kick goals and was kept quiet in the first half, only for the four-time premiership winner to take control as the Blues chased points in a dramatic final 40 minutes. The injury caught everyone off guard, but it's not considered serious at this stage. Cleary was always going to miss Penrith's trip to New Zealand for Saturday's game against the Warriors, with all five of their Origin stars rested, including hat-trick hero Brian To'o, who overcame a hamstring injury to dominate in Perth. 'Nathan had that little groin injury. I'm not too sure how he's going at the moment, but I don't think it's too serious,' Ivan Cleary said in Auckland. 'Bizza (To'o) went into the game with a bit of a hamstring issue but he's come out pretty good.' The undermanned Panthers can jump back inside the top eight with an upset win across the ditch in what will be their first match in Auckland since 2019. Isaah Yeo was still playing in the centres back then, James Maloney was halfback and James Fisher-Harris was still at the club as they overcame two sin bins to win 19-18. Cleary, who used to coach the Warriors, voiced his frustrations recently at the timing of this away trip after Origin that forced him to rest his Blues players given the hectic travel schedule. But he's moved on ahead of two massive matches in five days against a couple of top-four teams coached by two of his former assistants. 'It's disappointing for the New Zealand fans because we haven't played here for six years, so they haven't seen any of our team through that pretty good period,' he said. 'That's a little unfortunate, but I know it must be difficult trying to work out the draw, and everyone has their own hardluck stories.'
RNZ News
2 hours ago
- General
- RNZ News
Flight lands safely at Hawke's Bay Airport after Fire and Emergency callout
File pic Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon Fire and Emergency (FENZ) was on standby at Hawke's Bay Airport on Friday morning at the request of an inbound Air New Zealand flight. However, around 8am the flight landed safely, an Air New Zealand spokesperson said. "The crew operating NZ5025 from Auckland to Napier this morning received a maintenance alert during the service," the spokesperson said. Chief operating officer Alex Marren said emergency services were called in line with standard operating procedure after such an alert. The aircraft landed safely and the airline's maintenance team would now inspect the aircraft before it was returned to service. FENZ shift manager Chris Dalton earlier said three crews were at the airport as a precaution after an aircraft indicated a possible "situation on board". He said larger airports had their own fire brigades, but in regional areas FENZ was called in to help. Dalton said there had been no suggestion of an emergency. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
The Herald
2 hours ago
- The Herald
Mariannhill family baffled by shooting of taxi owner, son and grandson
The family of a Mariannhill taxi owner who was gunned down on Tuesday evening together with her son and grandson wants answers after the brazen attack. Tholakele Magutshwa, 54, her son Mthobisi, 35, and grandson Mvelo, aged three, died while some family members were left wounded during the gunfire which left the community of Auckland reeling. 'We really don't know why my sister had to die in such a callous manner. The two gunmen who stormed her home did not make off with anything so we are ruling out a business robbery,' said family spokesperson Phineas Magutshwa. A distraught Magutshwa said he was summoned to the crime scene after receiving a phone call on Tuesday. 'We gathered how two (attackers) had stormed into my sister's property around 6.30pm on Tuesday. All the gates of the property were unlocked so it was easy for them to breach the security,' said Magutshwa. He said the incident coincided with what was normally cash-up time for the thriving minibus business. He said Tholakele was also a loan shark. She died in ICU at RK Khan hospital on Wednesday while Mvelo died on the way to hospital. 'Both my sister and her son had gunshot wounds to the head. She also had wounds to her arm. The toddler was wounded in his chest and in his stomach,' said Magutshwa. He said the unmasked assailants were unknown and had fled on foot. He said one of the gunmen went to an outside building where Mthobisi lives and fired fatal shots at him while another gunman went to the living room where they found his sister and the rest of the family. 'It's baffling ... This whole thing does not make sense. No-one in my family has ever told me about their life being in danger, including my sister. Even in the industry in which she works, there was no conflict. We are pinning out hopes on police investigations,' said Magutshwa. He described his sister as a kind-hearted person who was always generous. Her taxi business had had steady growth since it began around 2005. Police spokesperson Col Robert Netshiunda said police in Mariannhill have opened a case of murder. He said the motive for the murders was unknown. Magutshwa said the trio would be buried on Sunday. TimesLIVE
RNZ News
2 hours ago
- RNZ News
Māngere assault prompts police manhunt
Emergency services responded to reports of an assault near Māngere Bridge about 6pm yesterday. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver Police are still hunting for an offender, after a person was found with critical injuries in the Auckland suburb of Māngere last night. Emergency services responded to reports of an assault on Coronation Road, near Māngere Bridge, at about 6pm. Police said one person was taken to hospital in a critical condition, where they remained stable. A spokesperson said enquires were ongoing. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
